Re: Secrets to bread making?

What water are you using? Tapwater ussually has a good deal of chlorine, which kills yeast, so better to go with bottled water. Also, how are you baking? The basic rule is to get your oven to 250, put the bread in, and dial it down to 220. after about 30-40 minutes, depending on size, get it out of the oven, cover with cloth and let it sit for about 30 minutes, otherwise you'll have a very strong crust and sort of rubbery insides. Also, do you use a sponge starter?

Re: Secrets to bread making?

Even if you are measuring meticulously, your ingredients work differently. The results will vary depending on the moisture of your flour (you will need more or less water). But most of all yeasts (and if using sourdough the yeasts and bacteria) are living organisms. They react to temperature, draughts, humidity...

When you make the dough make sure that you knead it thoroughly. Then make sure that the dough looks and feels right (add more water or flour if necessary).Allow enough time to prove, protecting the dough from drying out and from catching (cold) draughts. Covering the bowl helps.

About the flavor: I am not sure where you got the oily flavor from, but if the bread is too sweet add less sugar / honey.

Re: Secrets to bread making?

I hereby admit to never sifting flour except when making very delicate cakes....

But it is true that it is normal to have a few hiccups. I find that bread making is a lot about feeling that the dough is right. Kneading is the essence of course.

Sugar aids yeast growth, but you can bake with less or no sugar if your bread comes out too sweet.

Salt, fats (oil, butter....), and some flavor ingredients (onions,....) inhibit yeast growth. Many recipes ask you to add flavor ingredients after the first rising. Just knead in the flavor ingredients then and allow to double in size again.

Although warmth helps the yeasts to grow, too much heat will kill them. So don't make your water too warm (you can use cold water/ingredients - the dough will just need more time to rise).

When you have a perfect dough and then set it down to rise, it will react differently in different climates (as I said before). Here are some ideas: Put your bowl with the dough in a big plastic bag and close it: it will be a bit like a green house. I sometimes preheat my oven to the lowest setting (50°), then turn it off and put the bowl with the dough in it to rise. Placing it near the heating might also be helpful. But either way be careful not to overheat. My friend uses a tupper bowl that shuts tight and then keeps it between her bed blankets (during the day). I have even used my dishwasher after I had just emptied it out. It was still warm (no longer hot though), somewhat humid, and it shut out all the draught. But this may be a bit too crazy to be valid advice.

If the dough rises, but not as much as you hoped for........ the dough might be too tough (add more water next time)..... you may want to leave the dough for longer until the increase in size is big enough..... it might be a question of the flour you use. Whole flours rise less then white flours. Allow for more time, mix flours, or use sourdough. Rye will not usually work with just yeast (unless mixed with other flours, or sourdough).

Bread baking is easy really, but it also takes some experience. Go on trying and you will succeed. Happy baking!

Re: Secrets to bread making?

I gave a friend a piece of sourdough and she has made her first loaf with satisfaction ...... and got compliments by her family ............ but then she managed to make only what you call bricks ........ she asks me what's wrong with it, I really do not know, now that I read this I realize she uses tapwater (TSR thanks for saying about chlorine) maybe this inhibits the rising.............. I told her to give up, but the next time I see her I think we can discuss about trying again, maybe with bottle water or my fountain water

Re: Secrets to bread making?

I use tap water too. But the quality of tap water can vary greatly. You need drinking water quality. Bottled water might be a good alternative.

The thing with sourdough is that it is a living thing. Sometimes the balance between yeasts and bacteria gets thrown. I have lost a few starters when the weather changed or the likes. All of a sudden there was mold or a pungent smell...

Don't be discouraged!

I just started baking bread again after a year of sourdough abstinence. The first two were a bit compact (nearly brick), until I had the right feeling for the dough again. The third loaf was perfect.

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